Beyond the Checkout: Shakey’s and Healthy Options Redefine Retail with AWS and AI

By: Zenia Pearl V. Nicolas

At the AWS Retail Philippines 2025 bespoke event organized by rockbird media, an engaging fireside chat brought together some of the country's most dynamic retail leaders: Kellda Centeno, Chief Digital and IT Officer of Shakey's Pizza Asia Ventures Inc., and Pearlie Chua, Chief Technology Officer of Healthy Options. Moderated by Sridhar Vishwanathan, AWS Retail and CPG Industry GTM Lead, the discussion explored how cloud, AI, and digital strategies are shaping the next chapter of the Philippine retail industry.

Customer-First Mindset in Digital Transformation

For Kellda Centenno, retail transformation begins not with technology, but with people.

"I approach business from the customer's perspective rather than just the business perspective," she emphasized.

Her journey at Shakey's, from overseeing delivery and digital channels to spearheading omnichannel strategies, has been rooted in one principle: make experiences seamless wherever the customer interacts.

Shakey's omnichannel approach ensures that whether dining in, ordering through the Shakey's Super App, or using kiosks, customers are recognized, rewarded, and treated consistently. Their loyalty programs, enriched by data analytics, track behaviors across brands (like Shakey's and Peri-Peri) to enable personalized experiences and reward surprise gestures, such as vouchers and giveaways to local guests.

Healthy Options: Meeting Demand with Agility

Pearlie Chua highlighted the shifting expectations of Philippine consumers: "Customers are becoming more demanding, they want affordability, convenience, and recognition at every touchpoint.”

Healthy Options’ strategy has been to decentralize technology, ensuring all frontline employees are digitally equipped. By moving from on-premise data centers to AWS cloud solutions, the company achieved both cost efficiency and agility. 

Pearlie shared that AWS enabled them to transition into a microservices architecture, supporting peer-to-peer communication programs and future-ready personalization. The move wasn’t just about reducing costs but about unlocking innovation at scale. 

The Role of AI and Cloud in Shaping Retail

Moderator Sridhar Vishwanathan drew attention to the dual disruption of convenience food and e-commerce growth, pointing out that AI and cloud are no longer optional —they’re essential. 

Kellda shared how AI and cloud have become foundational to Shakey’s:

 • In-house delivery programs supported by AWS allow the Super App to maintain a consistent 4.8–4.9 star rating.

 • Shakey’s unique “31 minutes or it’s free” guarantee is powered by a rider app, real-time feedback, and AWS scaling capabilities.

 By offloading infrastructure management to AWS, Kellda explained, “I don’t have to worry about systems anymore, that’s the least of our problems.”

Pearlie added that Generative AI is already being explored at Healthy Options to enhance customer engagement and creative wellness programs.

“GenAI makes it easier, fun, and creative. It helps us position Healthy Options not just as a retailer, but as your wellness partner.”

Key Takeaways: The Philippine Retail Outlook

From the discussion, three trends stand out as critical for retailers over the next two years:

 1. Omnichannel Consistency – ensuring seamless movement between physical and digital retail channels.

 2. Personalization at Scale – customers expect to be recognized across every interaction, eliminating repetitive onboarding.

 3. AI + Cloud as Growth Engines – empowering retailers to innovate in marketing, operations, and customer loyalty.

As Sridhar concluded, “Omnichannel consistency and personalization are no longer nice-to-haves; they’re the foundation for growth.”

The AWS Retail Philippines 2025 session underscored that the future of retail in the Philippines is data-driven, AI-powered, and customer-obsessed. Shakey’s and Healthy Options stand as strong examples of how cloud partnerships with AWS are helping retailers not just adapt to change, but lead with innovation.